Vanda Redland Golden Sunrise

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PeteM

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V. denisoniana 'Spotted Leopard' x V. Susan Mullane 'CF Lemon Chiffon'

Acquired in 2018 from RF orchids. First bloom seedling, no fragrance that I can detect.. I have yet to snoop around in the early AM and again after the lights turn off.

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Well done. How do you grow vandas in basement?

The basement room is sealed on the ceiling with a layer of 4mm 'coroplast' sheets. It allows me to retain the humidity and regulate the temp over the winter. There are two large windows that I open in the summer. I run a Vornado heater in the winter, daytime highs and lows shown in the first image. Humidity is relatively high. I water in the evenings, humidity spikes over night when the lights turn off and the temps drop.

The vanda baskets sit on metal poles.. I grow under high intensity LEDS on light rails and I water freely with a RO hose. There is an X shaped drain built into the floor that expands across the 24ft square room. This drains to one end of the X that feeds a sump pump, which is tied into the outgoing house drain. I water the vandas daily with the hose and light fert misting prior to watering.. They never stop growing, roots grow all winter.

I have multiple fans inside the room.. But I also found that I need to keep the sliding door to the room slightly cracked 24/7 in the winter to help with the air transfer as I have no exhaust fan installed, My house eats the extra humidity without issue as it's extremely dry in the winter... So basically,.. Doc. I have no clue, but something about these parameters seem to work. I really believe its the temp and humidity ranges that I am able to maintain.

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Great setup! I have not seen such a well grown vanda collection in a basement in the north indoors. And it looks like other orchids are happy with the conditions too.

I see you use the Sensor Push like me lol. Aren't they great?

Also how much electricity per year does this setup use?
 
Great setup! I have not seen such a well grown vanda collection in a basement in the north indoors. And it looks like other orchids are happy with the conditions too.

I see you use the Sensor Push like me lol. Aren't they great?

Also how much electricity per year does this setup use?

Thanks!.. the sensors are great.. I have 2 in the grow room and one in my toddlers room to make sure she is nice and cozy as I am also growing a little human. ;)

The electrical usage is unclear now. I did the calculation when we first moved in, then changed all the lights to LED from HID metal halides. I'm also setting up for a chameleon cage along the back wall.. so adding a few more lights (T5 and LED). Before with the local rate, I was averaging $60 a month, and that does not include the space heater. However, I'd like to think whatever heat is generated eventually radiates up into the house in the winter. Once I get settled again, I should crunch the numbers.. but do I really want to know... :)
 
.. but do I really want to know... :)

I'm right there with you on that... i was so happy when we changed the house to propane backup heat for the heat pump.... now my greenhouse pulls from the same 1000 gal tank... and no one knows what the greenhouse portion of that actually is :)
 

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